Critical hit

A critical hit

A critical hit is a successful attack that deals additional damage, by negating 20 points of armor rating. In addition, player characters deal maximum damage with their weapons. Some skills, notably those with the keyword "critical" or "keen", improve the chances of criticals or depend on crits to trigger additional effects. Critical hits are especially important to Assassins, whose primary attribute, Critical Strikes increases both the chances and the benefits of critical hits.

A critical hit is indicated by a distinct hit sound and larger numbers in the graphical display. A lethal critical hit can be indicated by an even more menacing sound.

Game mechanics

Scoring a critical hit

The chance of scoring a critical hit depends on these factors:

• The target's level compared to the attacker's level.
• For martial weapons, the attacker's rank in the weapon's attribute.
• For assassins, their rank in Critical Strikes.
• Skills and active effects can improve or reduce the likelihood.
• For animal companions, the owner's Beast Mastery rank is the only factor.
• Moving targets always suffer critical hits when attacked from behind by a melee weapon.
• Spirit attacks can cause critical hits, but they don't deal extra damage. This is relevant for skills like Turtle Shell.

Damage

• As noted in the introduction, critical hits by players using weapons always deal maximum damage, making axes and hammers especially deadly. In addition, critical hits also do additional damage due to armor penetration. The exact formula is:

[maximum damage] * 1.414

Scythes do less damage (about [maximum damage] * 1.1).

Anomaly.Critical hits do not cause Animal companions and minions to hit for maximum damage, but they do get the same bonus factor (1.414...).

Comparison of combined effects

Critical hit chance in % with Critical Eye, Way of the Assassin (WotA) and Way of the Master (WotM)

Progression
Critical Strikes Critical Eye only WotA only Critical Eye + WotA WotM only Critical Eye + WotM	0 3 5 8 3 6 1 5 8 11 6 9 2 6 10 14 8 12 3 8 13 17 11 15 4 10 16 20 14 18 5 11 18 23 16 21 6 13 21 26 19 24 7 15 24 29 22 27 8 16 26 32 24 31 9 18 29 35 27 34 10 20 32 38 30 37 11 21 34 41 32 40 12 23 37 44 35 43 13 25 40 47 38 46 14 26 42 50 40 49 15 28 45 53 43 52 16 30 48 56 46 55 17 31 50 59 48 58 18 33 53 62 51 61 19 35 56 65 54 64 20 36 58 68 56 67

This is not simple addition: critical chance multiplies between skills. However, there is no way to determine whether there is a maximum critical hit chance; the base rate remains unknown. The calculations above demonstrate that there is no special critical hit synergy between Critical Eye and either the Way of the Master or Way of the Assassin.

Skills that cause criticals

Icon	Name	Description						Prof.	Attribute	Campaign
	"Fear Me!"	Shout. (1...12...15 second[s].) You have +5...25...30% chance of a critical hit with melee attacks against stationary foes. Initial effect: nearby foes lose 1...3...4 Energy.	4	0	0	0066		warriora	TacticsZ	Prophecies
	"Go for the Eyes!"	Shout. (10 seconds.) Allies in earshot have +30...86...100% to land a critical hit with their next attack.	4	0	0	0		paragona	CommandZ	Nightfall
	"Go for the Eyes!" (PvP)	Shout. (10 seconds.) Allies in earshot have +30...66...75% to land a critical hit with their next attack.	4	0	0	0044		paragona	CommandZ	Nightfall
	Critical Eye	Skill. (10...30...35 seconds.) You have +3...13...15% chance to land a critical hit. You gain 1 Energy whenever you land a critical hit.	0	055	0	03030		assassina	Critical StrikesZ	Factions
	Critical Strike	Dual Attack. Deals +10...26...30 damage. Automatic critical hit. You gain 1...3...3 Energy. Must follow an off-hand attack.	0	055	0	0066		assassina	Critical StrikesZ	Factions
	Decapitate	Elite Axe Attack. Deals +5...41...50 damage. Inflicts Deep Wound condition (5...17...20 seconds). Automatic critical hit. You lose all adrenaline and Energy.	8	0	0	0		warriora	Axe MasteryZ	Nightfall
	Keen Chop	Axe Attack. Always a critical hit.	3	0	0	0		warriora	Axe MasteryZ	Eye of the North
	Malicious Strike	Melee Attack. If target foe has a condition, this attack deals +10...26...30 damage and is a critical hit.	0	055	0	0066		assassina	Critical StrikesZ	Nightfall
	Siphon Strength	Elite Hex Spell. (5...17...20 seconds.) Target foe deals -5...41...50 attack damage. You have +33% chance to land a critical hit on this foe.	0	1010	01.001	01010		assassina	Deadly ArtsZ	Factions
	Way of the Assassin	Elite Stance. (20 seconds.) While wielding daggers, you attack 5...17...20% faster and have +5...29...35% chance to land a critical hit.	0	055	0	01212		assassina	Critical StrikesZ	Nightfall
	Way of the Master	Enchantment Spell. (60 seconds.) While holding a non-dagger weapon, you have +3...27...33% chance to land a critical hit.	0	055	00.250.25¼	03030		assassina	Critical StrikesZ	Eye of the North
	Wild Blow	Melee Attack. Always a critical hit. Removes a stance. Unblockable. Lose all adrenaline.	0	055	0	0088		warriora	Z	Core

Related skills

Skills that increase the chance of critical hits

• "Fear Me!" — (shout) +5...25...30% melee attacks on non-moving targets
• Critical Eye — (skill) +3...13...15%
• Siphon Strength — (hex) +33% on target
• Way of the Assassin — (stance) +5...29...35%, if wielding daggers
• Way of the Master — (enchant) +3...27...33%, if wielding a non-dagger weapon
• "Go for the Eyes!" — (shout) +30...86...100%, (PvP) +30...66...75%

Skills that prevent critical hits

• Stoneflesh Aura — to user (does not prevent extra effects from 'on critical hit' skills)
• Stone Sheath — to user and target ally
• Armor of Unfeeling — to controlled spirits
• Dulled Weapon — from foe

Skills that benefit from critical hits

• Critical Chop — interrupt
• Disrupting Accuracy — interrupt, if using a bow
• Keen Arrow — +5...21...25 damage
• Critical Agility — reapplies itself
• Critical Defenses — reapplies itself
• Critical Eye — gain 1 energy
• Dark Apostasy — remove enchantment
• Way of Perfection — gain 10...34...40 health
• Vicious Attack — Deep Wound for 5...13...15 seconds
• "Find Their Weakness!" (PvP) — Deep Wound
• Stun on Critical Hit — Knock down

Other

• Balanced Stance — prevents extra damage from critical hits

Notes

• Isaiah Cartwright posted an excel formula for base critical hits on his talk page.
  • The bonus factor of 1.414 is based on the square root of two, which is the amount of extra damage done by lowering armor by 20 points.
• Since melee attack hits to the back while moving always result in a critical, it is important to kite; simply running away can result in more damage than staying put.
• Critical hits do not target any specific armor piece, contrary to some users' belief.
• The Armor of Salvation consumable provides immunity to 50% of critical hits.
• The Holy Staff offered by the collector Saba Blackstone is the only weapon that decreases critical hit chance, by 5%.

See also

• Damage calculation